The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Exodus 33

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Torah

Exodus chapter 33 — part of the Torah in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And HaShem spoke unto Moses: 'Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the…” — the complete text of all 23 verses is below, free to read online.

1And HaShem spoke unto Moses: 'Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying: Unto thy seed will I give it--

2and I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite--

3unto a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people; lest I consume thee in the way.'

4And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man did put on him his ornaments.

5And HaShem said unto Moses: 'Say unto the children of Israel: Ye are a stiffnecked people; if I go up into the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee; therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.'

6And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb onward.

7Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought HaShem went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp.

8And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the Tent.

9And it came to pass, when Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the Tent; and HaShem spoke with Moses.

10And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, all the people rose up and worshipped, every man at his tent door.

11And HaShem spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he would return into the camp; but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.

12And Moses said unto HaShem: 'See, Thou sayest unto me: Bring up this people; and Thou hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Yet Thou hast said: I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in My sight.

13Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, show me now Thy ways, that I may know Thee, to the end that I may find grace in Thy sight; and consider that this nation is Thy people.'

14And He said: 'My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.'

15And he said unto Him: 'If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

16For wherein now shall it be known that I have found grace in Thy sight, I and Thy people? is it not in that Thou goest with us, so that we are distinguished, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?'

17And HaShem said unto Moses: 'I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken, for thou hast found grace in My sight, and I know thee by name.'

18And he said: 'Show me, I pray Thee, Thy glory.'

19And He said: 'I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and will proclaim the name of HaShem before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.'

20And He said: 'Thou canst not see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.'

21And HaShem said: 'Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock.

22And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with My hand until I have passed by.

23And I will take away My hand, and thou shalt see My back; but My face shall not be seen.'

23 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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